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C. A. NORMAN, DECD.

M. E. NORMAN) ADMINISTRATRIX.

RAILWAY GATE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.9. I918.

1,326,609. Patented Dec. 30, 1919.

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oomvnrlrus A. Noni/inn, or narson, TEXAS; any n. Norman nnnrrmsrne'rnrxor] SAID CORNELIUS A. NORMAN, ncnnsnn.

RAILWAY-GATE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patefited Dec, 30 1919;

Application filed April 9, 1918. SeriaI No. 227,501.

- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CORNELIUS A. Non- MAN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Brysoinin the county of Jack, State of Texas, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Railwayfiratesy and I dohereby declare the following to" be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

This invention is an improvement in gates and has particular referenceto a railway gate employed as a cattle guard.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved mechanism of simpleand inexpensive construction for automatically adjusting a gate, whichextends across a-track, from its closed or operative position to itsopened position by the approach of a train.

Another object is the provision of improved means for returning the gatefrom opened to closed position after a train has passed the same.

The inventive idea involved is capable of receiving a variety ofmechanical expressions one of which, for the purpose of illustrating theinvention, is shown in the accompanying drawing wherein Figure 1 is atop plan view of a track showing the invention applied and with the gatein closed position.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line 22 of Fig. 1 through thetrack with the gate and its operating mechanism in operative or closedposition.

Fig. 3 is a similar view with the gate in opened position.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 1- 1- of-Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged elevation of the re taining device for the gatewhen the same is in closed position.

Referring more particularly to the draw ing the numeral 10 indicatesatrack with which is associated the gate 11 which may be of any desiredconstruction and which extends transversely across the track when.

in its closed or operative position and which is adapted to be swungin avertical plane transverse of the track to its opened or inoperativeposition. When closed, the free end of the gate is engaged between apair of retaining members 12 carried by a post 13 mounted adjacent oneofthe rails of the track so that the gate cannot be opened by cattle.

Preferably positioned below the track 10 and transversely thereof: isapa-ir of spaced bearing members l-liaving a rotatable shaft 15 mountedin adjacent ends thereof. The end member 16 of the gate 11 extends belowthe track 10 and has its lower end fixed to the shaft 15 so that whenthe latter is rotated the gate will be swung in a vertical plane withthe shaft as a pivot. The lower end of the member 16 is connected to theshaft between the bearings 14 and has disposed adjacent thereto a gear17 also fixed to said shaft and meshing with another gear 18 supportedby one of the bearings 14 and said gears are adapted to be rotated toactuate the shaft 15.

The mechanism for rotating the gears 17 and 18 so as to open the gate 11upon the approach of a train preferably comprises a pair of treadmembers 19 arranged along side of the rail of the track adjacent themember 16 of the gate in such a manner as to be engaged by the wheels ofa train. A tread member 19 is arranged on each side of the gate so thatthe same will be opened by the approach of a train from either directionand the end of the tread member remote from the gate is pivotallymounted as at 20. The adjacent ends of the tread mem; bers 19 areconnected by a coupling plate 21 which is bent about said ends to housethe same and to whichsaid ends are pivoted as indicated at 22 in orderto permit of a depression of the tread members when the wheels of thetrain or car are engaged therewith. The coupling 21 is provided with adepending rack bar 23 which engages the teeth of the gear 18 so thatwhen the tread members are depressed the train of gearing will beactuated to automatically open the gate as a vehicle approaches on thetrack.

After the train has passed, it is desirable that the gate be returned toits normal closed posiion and, for this purpose, an end of the shaft 15which projects beyond one of the bearings 1 1 has secured thereto oneend of a oounterbalancing weight 24: which normally depends in avertical position, as shown in Fig. 3 but which is swung to a horizontalposition, as shown in Fig. 3;

when-the tread members 19 are depressed.

The swinging of the weight 24 to its operated position is done againstthe action of a spring 25 one end of which is connected to the weight 2%while the other end is secured to the adjacent bearing 1% and afterpressure has been removed from the tread members 19 by the passing ofthe train beyond the same the combined action of the weight 24 andspring 25 will be sufficient to overbalance the weight of the gate 11and return the same to its closed position.

What is claimed is The combination with a track and a depressible trackinstrument, of a gate disposed in a plane transverse to the track andhaving at one end an upright that depends below the bottom of the gateand is provided at its lower end with a pivot shaft, spaced bearingplates in which the pivot shaft is journaled, a counterweight rigidlyconnected with the shaft, a spring connected with the counterweight inposition to draw the weight to its lowermost position and swing the gatein the direction of the track, a pinion fixed upon the shaft andconnections between the track instrument and pinion for actuating thelatter against the tension of the spring, a v

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

CORNELIUS A. NORMAN. Witnesses:

G. L. JONES, B. B. BRYSON.

